Table



June 5, 1928.

E. c. SHAFER TABLE Filed Jan. 25, 1926 W -Jf/wwey,

In van for. .E'dawrd 61' Ska er Patented June 5, 1928.

f EDWARD cl snar'nn, orsANmA MONICA,

c IiIFoRnIA.

I 'TABLEQ application fi1edv-Tanuaryj25, 1926. Serial No. 83,450; g

This invention particularly pertains to a table orstand of the classadapted to be posi tioned astride thelimbs or body of a person sittingor reclining on a bed, couch or the the'like, and has as its primary obect the provision of a structure of the above character which isadaptedto be supportcdon a bed and used as a carrier for trays and similarobjects' e I Another object is to prov de a stand embodying an open.frame construction so formed as to be light'inweight n proper: tiontoits size to facilitate handling thereott and which is so formed as to'be strong and durable. i j

Another object is to provide a bed stand which may be formed in mostpart or hollow metal tubing and so constructed that t may: be readilyassembled and economically manufactured. i I A further object is to provde a means m a stand of the above character for effecting detachableclamping engagementwith a tray or panel supported thereon whereby suchtray or panel may be securely held against displacement under ordinary;.tiltlng movement to which the stand may be sub ecte d whenin use, andwhich clamping means 18 adaptable for engagement with trays or panels ofvarious dimensions. p v j With the foregoing objects n 'VlGW, to getherwith such other objects and'advan} tages as may subsequently appear, theinvention resides generally in .)rov'idmg a stand having a topcomprising an open frame con struction including adjustable clampsadapted to be detacha bly engaged with trays or' panels resting on thestand top. i

The invention fm-therresides in the parts, and in the combination,construction and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed and claimedand illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in whichFig. 1 is aperspective View of the stand l lustrating the manner inwhich a tray may be supported thereon; I v Fig. 2 is a'view of the"stand asseen in longitudinal section; e I Fig. ,3 is adetail inhorizontal section through a corner portion of the top frame, j

Fig. tis a detail-in vertical section as seen on the line 4--t of Fig-3;

Fig. 5 is a detail in section as seen'on the lineb ii of Fig. 1; Fig. (3is a detail in perspective illustrat ing the manner of effectingconnection be "tween a series-of cross rods at the central portion ofthe stand top;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of oneof the clamping-members;

Fig. 8' is aplan view of o n'eof the clamping memberswith portionsbroken away.

Referring tothe drawings more specifically, lO'indicates a railconstituting the marginal frame, portion of the stand. top which rail ispreferably formed of metal tubing and is here shown as bent to formaframe of substantially rectangular form including side members '11 and12'and'en'd members lll and 14; the terminal portions of the tubularrail 10 beingconnected together as "shown in Fig. 5 by means of a shortbar l5'overthe end portions of which I the terminalsof the tubing aretelescoped an'dafiixed as bywelding 'orbrazing. I

Legsl6 areprovided at thexcorners of the frame and comprisecomparatively short lengths of metal tubingfitted'withfeet 17 composedofknob's. The upper endsiof the legs are inserted through'openings 18inthe a rail 10, as shown 1n Figs. 3 and4 and are 1 secured to the railsbya, welded or brazed joint 19 18'. a

Extending longitudinally o' f'the stand top around -the 7 margin of theopening frame intermediate theiside rails 11 and 12,

and a flixed at its ends to the end rails 13 and 14: 1s a rod 20 .theopposite side faces of i which are fiat and parallel. The upper edge ofthe rod IS recessed intermediate the ends, thereof to receive ahorizontal plate member The outer ends of the diagonal rods 22 areinserted through openings, 26 in the raill t) into engagement with theupperen d portions 21'. The ends of the rod 20 extend through of thelegs 16, the latter being cutaway as I indicated at 28 to receive-theend portions of the diagonal rods and extend astride' the latterthusaffording anjanchorage for the legs within the tubular rail servingtoSta bilize the connection between the legs and 'rail and afiording astrong and substantial mounting for the' legs. Thediagonal rods brazedint 29 'torined around the inargin ii .1 a i; l

of the opening 26i Transverse tubular rods 30 connect with place'byWelding or brazing said ,re d g Otogetherwith the diagonal rod 2Qcooperate with the longitudinal rod 20 to form a spider whicl'rhasa flattop adapted to forrn a level support for a tray. 1 r v llhe plate 21ferrned with a series'of marginahprojections 31 of segmental crosssection which are inserted within the inner open'ends'of'the tubularrods 22 and 30 and to w c the ht ma he firm y se ure y We ding r him, hes rfac o the plate2l extends substantially flush with the top surface oftherod and in order that the tubular l'ods, and 30 may extend heh" np rp t ns 0h vh pl n W t thejtop Sm-ra e of theplate 21 the segmental nreit si 3 are hrh j it he r upp r-l IllOSt portions extending on a planebelow the repe -ra or the plate 21 a distance hhhhhh h ly h t 'h p h iht e h c ness oftl' e' walls of the tilbular rods. The stand top thusformed or a frame of open conh Q -Q Whihh' -y a rangement of t ds Wh ish o h y brac d and because ojf'li'ts bpen eonstructi0n 'isextremelylight in Weight relation to its size, and is designed to serveas a support for a remqyable y pe 'hf i hthd by he do e hhe c 'F-iga iili ff hold n he tray agenst displacement or accidental shifting when Pi ion d Qh e Stand with P il? of clamps h l he w d 3 are in hvirle whichare here shown as slidably supported en the longitudinal rod torindependent movement'relatiyely to each other to permit their beingdisposed arious positions on "the bar tohcc'oinmodate trays of arioussizes. The clamping members are here shown as Q p s f Uh 'i P a h, heegs Q which are formed with openings 35 through which the rod 20 extendsto afford a slidable connection between the plate and the rod. The rodand the openings 35 being rectan gulai, the slideplate is held againstturning movement on the rod. i i

Carried by each of the slideplates is a p hei-pths h Clamp fin e Whichadapted to' be engagedwith the inargin of a tray to clainp the latteragainst ino'v'en ent here shown as e'mbod in a j'air of bent wireshaving stein portions 37 extending down-I wardl'y 'threi g'h the topportion otthe slide plate and projecting one "posite sii'desfof the Y20' by' a transverseplate 3 8. Springs 39 s37are connected togetherbeneath the.

bear between the plate 38 and tep portion of the sl ideplate and exertQdewnward pull on the stems 37 which are Vertically slidable and therebyimpart a downward the side rails 11 and 12 andwitlithe plate 21, theirouter ends extending through openings in the side rail and being securedin pull on the fingers 3B"; the latter being formed by continuations ofthe stems 37 turned substantially atright angles thereto a and enterrding in parallel relation with their.

outer ends 40'turnedinwardly toward each other, as shown in .Fig. 8. aThe parallel members are ceyered and connected together by means of aflexible tubing' :41 which con stitutes a cushion; the being put: in.

pla b sl 'p'pihs i e d r hhskw he spaced int urne d terminations of thewhich construction perinits ljeady removal and replaceinent ofthe'tubing {ill n In employing thestand the clamps 32 3?; are normallydisposed such spaced Ireath a he P r i heph hhhi h h h C there twhhhrwhich is Qfii i 1 after the stand has beenplaced in pos i on a bedashdem -oecu a a h reef;

above the plane of the rirn of the tray by v, 4 l 1 l pressing the bars58 npwardly, whereupon The clamping fingers are elevated to" a'positie-ii SS released sothat the fingers 36 w'ill be brought intoengagement with the tray un- (ler thenrge of th espi ings Thetray on bin a ed by h 'sfii ill'he e: curely held aga nst sliding mov ment on thestand t'O pn "iv h Whfle'l hhv'e s w and des r bed specific embodimentthe im tation, I; do not myself ,to the exact details of we; s'truc'tionorv arrangenient shown, but p y Such eese -h hie ifih hhs s come withinthe spirit and scope appended claims. 7

I clainii r 1.11m stand'of the character described,

a marginal rail, a longitudinal rod carried by i said rail; plateintermediate the ends of said rod, ajseries offiiiarginal prqjectibns onsaid plate, and tubular i'ods hayiiig their inner ends encompassing saidprdjectidns and having their outer-ends cqnnectedwith said marginalrail. i' w i "2; In a stand ot the character described, a marginal rail,a longitudinal rod carried by s'aid rail; a plate seating on rodintermediate its ends, a series of segmental projections on themarginsaid platelth e were PQ QhS a which are dep sse h low the plane of thetop surface of said p a e d hs es f hhh h h th inher nd of h h eh hmphssaid p oi c: tions and the outer endsof 'Whichare aflixed to'said'raiL'3. A standof the class described comprising a' top defining frame, legsconnected to a S pp rt g aid rame, i 'Q cehh th with and extendingbetween opposed points rods with their topsflush with the top of th Iplate. I

4. A table comprising a 'top defining frame, a longitudinal rodconnected with and extending between opposed points of e said frame,other rods cooperating with said rod to form a spider,adapted to supporta tray, and a clamp adjustable along said longit-udinal rod, said clampbeing adapted to retain a'tray in adjusted position upon said spider,said longitudinal rod affording an unobstructed travel for said clampfrom points near the mid-length of said rod to points near each endthereof.

'7 In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature.

Q EDWARD o. SHAFER.

